Customs to persist with faulty cargo system

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The Australian Customs Service will stick with its problematic
new computer system, despite mounting anger from businesses in the
international freight forwarding industry, which are being forced
to pay the cost of storing the goods accumulating on wharves and in
holding yards around the country.

Since it was introduced last week, the Integrated Cargo System
has caused headaches on wharves in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and
Perth because it has been generating faulty data, meaning that
newly imported cargo can't be cleared by customs.

And Federal Opposition leader Kim Beazley today called for
Customs Minister Chris Ellison to be sacked over the implementation
of the new computer system, with industry figures estimating the
cost to have blown out from $33 million to more than $250
million.

Speaking on Sydney's 2GB radio this morning, Customs Minister
Chris Ellison said the new system would be dumped with respect to
sea cargo if a solution could not be found at a meeting today.

"What I've said to Customs is 'we have to fix this'," Mr Ellison
said.

"If this suggestion that they've got does not work by midday
then on sea cargo we'll have to revert to the old system."

But this afternoon a spokesman for Australian Customs Service
said new measures had been implemented overnight to begin moving
freight off the wharves.

"The new Integrated Cargo System will continue to operate for
both sea and air cargo," he said.

But Customs would review the situation mid next week, the
spokesman said.

The new measures include the launch of Customs cargo teams
dedicated to clearing goods and additional staff to support a
24-hour industry help desk.

"Contrary to some media reports, the new IT system for imports
has not failed, nor is its performance solely responsible for the
problems that have occurred.

"The problems experienced in part, flow from inaccurate and
incomplete information being submitted by some users, which the new
system is designed not to accept for security reasons," the
spokesman said.